Laser-operated light sources are generally known and are used in spectroscopy or surface inspection, for example for measuring purposes.
Known laser-operated light sources, which will also be referred to in short as light sources hereinbelow, encompass a chamber for accommodating a pressurized ionizable gas, as well as an ignition source for ionizing the gas in the chamber for generating a plasma. The known light sources furthermore encompass a laser for inputting laser energy into the plasma such that, under the impact of the laser radiation, the plasma generates useful light, which forms the output signal of the light source. For transferring to a downstream process, provision is made for means for coupling the useful light into a transferring optical fiber. The known light sources furthermore encompass an optical system, which is arranged between the chamber and the transferring optical fiber, for imaging the plasma on the end of the optical fiber, which faces the optical system. The light output from the chamber may exhibit undesirable characteristics, for example, chromatic, spherical, and/or coma aberrations. Further, the optical system arranged between the chamber and the transferring optical fiber may also introduce such undesirable characteristics into the light entering the optical fiber. Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists for a laser-operated light source that will address deficiencies and inadequacies of prior structures.